Climate Change and Emotional Support Tree

 

Nicely captured day lilies, from the internet.

A 30 second note on Florida's heating up...since I have a half dozen relatives in Florida, I do think of them when seeing this.

Data Scientist Corner   Florida’s Climate Future is an interactive online platform that leverages public data from the world’s leading climate scientists, offering an at-a-glance comprehensive overview of the climate challenges faced by counties across three risk areas that impact Florida’s economy and family budgets. This new tool is aimed at helping Floridians understand and respond to the unique challenges posed by climate change. Facing rising energy costs, more frequent flooding, and extreme heat, Florida residents are asking questions and need clear information to assess their specific risks and prioritize actions to protect their communities. Florida’s Climate Future showcases how risks vary across counties and regions for Florida families and businesses. In 2023, record-breaking temperatures contributed to dozens of heat-related deaths across the state. As wildfires become more likely and extreme heat becomes more common, the video above explores how a changing climate is putting Floridians’ health, safety, and future at risk. Read More

SOURCE: VOLO Foundation Climate Newsletter -------------- The good news: Wind and solar together generated more electricity than coal in the U.S. for the first time last year, and coal’s share of the generation mix fell to an all-time low of under 15%, according to a Tuesday report from the think tank Ember. “2024 saw the largest-ever increase in solar generation in the US (+64 TWh),” said Ember. Wind production grew by 32 TWh, while coal generation dropped by 22 TWh. These solar additions marked “the second largest increase of any country, after China,” according to the report. “Significant capacity additions spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act have begun to feed through to generation increases. Wind generation rose as a result of improved wind conditions from 2023 as well as a moderate increase in wind capacity.” There's more in that article by the link.  SOURCE: Utility Dive -------------- VOLO also gives this: RESEARCH “Fire Weather” Is Happening More Often Amid Climate Change Due to climate change, hot, dry, and windy conditions fueling wildfires are becoming more frequent across much of the U.S., especially in the West and Southwest. This is turning what was once a seasonal threat into a near year-round challenge. A Climate Central analysis found that some areas, like parts of Texas and California, now face these conditions up to twice as often, making fire weather a near year-round concern. Read more ------------ In Stressful Times, Nature Can Help In June 2019, while working on his family’s 40-year-old tree farm in Monee, Illinois, Tristan Shaw spotted a small Chinquapin oak tree and decided to carry it around with him all day, in a drawstring bag on his back.  “I felt a kinship towards it,” he says. “I have some stress and anxiety from owning my own business and farming. My buddy tree helps puts me at ease, feel like I have someone in my corner, and it always brings a smile to other people’s faces.”  Shaw’s emotional support tree accompanied him around town in suburban Flossmoor, Illinois, to restaurants, bars, grocery stores, the post office and beyond. After eight months, he planted the little oak on his farm and started growing a new buddy tree to carry around.   Tristan Shaw and his Emotional Support Tree SOURCE: Environmental Defense Fund's Vital Signs Today's quote: We can remember that today we can be a gift to each person we meet, just by looking at them with eyes of love. Terry Patten ----------------------- A little clay southwestern house given recently to a friend. ------------- If you live anywhere in the southeastern US, you may have had rain for Memorial Day. We did, and I had a usual bad night of coughing whenever it rains.  I tried to dry out the apartment by turning the mini-split to ac...but it had it's own mind apparently, and switched to heat, even though I set it to "cool." I even set it to the lowest available temp, and it would start out cooling, then when I wasn't looking, heat came out. So I heated the place up to dry out things...it's not that old a building, but they slapped new siding on top of the old outside, and who knows where drips come in. I have noticed the floor has really cold drafts, especially when it's windy (as there's  a space between my floor and the downstairs apartment's ceiling and just a metal flashing to cover the outside edge of that space.)  Anyway, I then talked with various staff of the pulmonologist office, and they said they should get samples of sputum before I see the PA. So I was smart (sometimes I am) and went to my local doc. across the street to pick up the 3 sterile cups to use (on three different days) rather than driving all the way to Asheville to get them at the pulmonologist's office.  And last night, no coughs. No possible samples for the test, which will show hopefully that my lungs are now without the little bad guys the antibiotic was treating.  But they gave me a July appointment because they wanted 6 weeks for the test results to come back from the lab.  Geese, I am well again folks. This should last till the next rain at least!

Captain of what ships?

Captain Alexander Swasey sailed at least from Charleston, South Carolina, to New Orleans, LA, and then later to Cuba.

What ships did he sail?
I've already mentioned his brief stint as a Blockade runner on the Ella Warley.

That ship had actually been commisioned the Isabel, built in 1848 in Baltimore.  It was owned by Charleston businessmen. It was constructed specifically to serve the United States postal service, as well as coastal passenger trade, between the eastern United States and the Spanish colony of Cuba.

Since Swasey was captain of it when it was turned over the the Confederacy in 1861, until its capture by Union forces in April, 1862, I will try to see if Captain Swasey had command of it from 1848, or when he indeed did take over its sailing.

Here's a painting of the Ella Warley.



Here's a manifest from 1843, when he captained the Schooner Caluo from Charleston to New Orleans from April 6-28.

I don't have a picture of the Caluo, but here's a 3 masted schooner, the Regina Maris.

Schooners were developed in North America from the early 18th century, and came into extensive use in New England. The most common type of schooners, with two masts, were popular in trades that required speed and windward ability, such as slaving, privateering, and blockade running.

Essex, Massachusetts was the most significant shipbuilding center for schooners. By the 1850s, over 50 vessels a year were being launched from 15 shipyards and Essex became recognized worldwide as North America’s center for fishing schooner construction. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

This slave manifest for the same ship, June 6-29, 1843, is more disturbing for me to read.  These are women, the oldest being 50, and children from 4 years of age.  Incidentally the ship is now spelled Callao.

Captain Swasey was born on April 14, 1812 in Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts.

If he became a sailor as a young man, or at least was involved in the shipping business (a family business probably) he would have been aware of all kinds of ships and boats.  By 1843, when he was 31, he was Captain of the Schooner Caluo (Callao).

When did he move south from Newburyport MA?  I don't know.  

In the census of 1840, he was living in St. Augustine FL, where his first daughter was born that year.  His next daughter was born the next year, also in FL.  Then the family didn't change size again until 1849 when another daughter was born in Florida. Then in 1853 their only son was born, Alexander John Swasey  in Charleston.  

So though Captain Swasey was working out of Charleston in 1843, his family life was in St. Augustine.  And that was before Florida became a state in 1845.  For some reason his family was back in Charleston by 1853.


Captain Swasey's home, 22 Savage St., Charleston, SC

I just discovered an Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1861-1865, where there's an A.G. Swasey with some kind of classification "II, 4"  as well as Alexander Swazey with "II, 8" following his name.  I wonder what that means?  This is on  page 495 of the microfilm, and original document page number 935.  So to find the key to meanings I'll have to do more research.


Captain Swasey's home? This is 1 Limehouse St, his place of death.

I have copies of innumerable Prisoner of War documents from the Civil War with Captain A.G. Swasey listed...with amounts of money.  I don't understand them, so will wait till I have someone to walk me though the meanings.

NOTE:  The documents show he was interred in Fort Warren, MA, a Federal prison. First entry I have found is Nov 11, 1863.